It was to the path of moonlight that the grey/white wolf walked. The sound of damp grass from a rain now passed crinkled under paw with every step. The flowering life amongst the grass seemed alive beneath a silver glow from the shinning orb that claimed the sky. She stopped her movements for a moment. Taking in the scents around her, before lowering her head so the lip of her mussel touched the abundance of opened colours. It was cool and sweet upon her skin, she mused as she filled herself with its scent. It was peaceful and breath-taking like the taste of home. She had never been homesick, not from the moment she had left to present date – but she always found herself wondering how those she had grown up with, who she had known her entire life where doing.
They lived an easy life, those bright and goalless members of a pack with no troubles. They worked together in harmony that spoke of a life surrounded by the same face and that, Sapphire found enduring. She left to carve her own path into the world, leaving the place her mother had been born, and both her parents had died in. Her parents were the essence of all that stuff of light and joy that made Evian’s what they were. It was from that same weakness that when a sickness took her father from this world her mother had nothing to anchor her to her skin. She had floated away, helpless and pathetic straight into the arms of death.
There had been only two moments where she had been weak; she was nothing but a pup at the time of the first one, a just-born pulled from her mother’s cooling corpse. She did not mourn the one that had birthed her; she hated Sea, hated her weakness, her lack of ability to go on, and that which made her give up and die. Sapphire would never believe in love, never forgive her mother from her weakness, for dying of a broken heart. Her adopted family had been stronger then Sea, but not by much. Tir, he had tried to form Saph into a member of Evian but he had failed. From the day she was born to the day she left they had seen her only as the orphan whose mother had died of a broken heart. Their eyes where that of pity and for her rebellious way they held only understanding. Was it to anyone’s surprise that she had broken free and left them? She would make her own life, one where she would be Sapphire and not the daughter of Sea.
Head raised from the silky flowers, her brief relapse of regret for leaving had passed. She had made the right decision and she would make the best of it. But no more of wondering alone, no more of what had been an aimless stride across passing landscapes. It had been the encounter of Jay that had encouraged her to make this new path in her life Jay, how I miss you... Creating her own pack had been something she had done with the support of her dear friend.
She knew already where she was heading; she had caught the scent of prey a while back. Each step took her closer to the long reaching strands of grass that when she crouched concealed her well enough. The meadow fell short at the rock face that begins Zozyr’s Glory Why the deer bothered to move so close to barren form of earth she did not know, but there the herd stood at the outskirts of the grass, fawn heads nibbling away like there was no worry in the world. She slunk against the grass, moving closer and closer, her empty belly growling faintly at the scent of food. Strong shoulder blades and the tips of her ears stood out from her hiding place as she approached. She was so close now, but she knew how tricky it was to catch deer without the aid of another, and as the pack had quickly fallen silent she was to do this on her own. A silent growl rippled upon her mussel as she prepared to leap at the meal she had chosen. An older, slower deer trailing at the edge of the herd.
The white washed fae never got her chance at that leap, the sound of an angered beast rung across her ears, sounding from behind her. She whirled even as the thick paw pushed across the air towards her and she got a look at her assailant. A bear, angered by the scent of another predator so close to where it had slumbered. The paw hit her with a force that surely would have broken ribs within her chest. Her paws touched nothing with air, twitching with an urgent need to flee but finding nothing beneath them to move across. She hid the ground with a thud and the air wooshed out of her. After a moment she took in ragged wheezes of the stuff and opened her mussel. As her howl touched wind a glimmer of light began to break through the darkness, a glisten of sunlight to fade away the moon. In a pack that barely ever sounded with the life of wolves, dawn was approaching.
Ren had smelled his alphess not to far from where he was. It was odd that the two never seemed too far a part. Oh well. Ren still trotted on near his alphess and the smell of deer. He was hungry. His stomach had growled while he was trotting along. What was that smell? Was that...bear? Oh no.. he thought as he started running. The smell of bear and of Sapphire grew stronger and soon they were in his sight. He let out a sharp loud bark at the bear as he saw Saph laying on the ground. He would not allow the bear to kill her. No. Not after he had just joined. He would not be wrong. He knew that the pack would soon become strong but, not if the alphena died from a bear attack. He heard his alphena wheeze and cough when she hit the ground. he had no time to look at her for long but, by the sound of it, her ribs were broken. This was not happening to him. She let out another soft howl. He didn't know what she was calling for. The pack here had been silent and inactive.
Standing in the moonlight, it was rather difficult to see. But, he would not allow this pack to die right after he joined. He lunged at the bear and leaped onto his back. The bear roared and thrashed it's mighty body trying to throw him off but, he would not allow it. He took a chunk out of the bear's ear which made it scream. He loved the sound of it's pain. It deserved it for forcing him to do this to it.
He was not an incredibly large wolf and the lack of fighting made his real strength in speed and not in brute strength. He was a medium build grey wolf so, his build and breed were already not helping him. He hoped that his alphena was well enough to help him out or that another would join him in the struggle.
His claws were slipping from the bear's back and he fell to the ground. His body hit the ground with a loud thud. He looked to the bear who was standing over him. The thought of running away crossed his mind but, he couldn't abandon Saph. His body was only bruised by the grace of the gods so, he limped over to his alphena. Each step caused pain to thrash through his entire body. He touched his nose to her muzzle to let her know that he was here and on her side. He didn't want to leave her but, he knew that the end could be coming. What do you want to do Saph? He asked her in a rush because the bear could end both their lives in mere seconds. He was ready to do whatever she asked him to do.
Small black paws deftly sorted Vixen’s newest collection of herbs into little piles. She’d just returned home from her trip into Caurus, bringing back with her as many of the herbs as she could carry. She hadn’t seen anybody since she’d gotten back, and the territory markers weren’t very strong, but at least she’d found a good place for herbs.
A soft injured howl made the fox-like creature’s ears perk up. Her alphess was hurt! Not wanting to waste any time, she hurriedly scanned the herbs at the back of the den. What did she need? She didn’t know how badly Sapphire was wounded so she would just have to take something for the most likely injuries. Burdock, bamboo, dragon fruit, and white poppy… That should do. Vixen ducked out of her little den and began trotting in the direction the sound had come from, careful not to drop any of the herbs.
She arrived just as the bear was advancing on the two wolves. Vixen dropped the bundle she was carrying. “Hey, piss off, you stinky beast!” She leapt towards the bear and sank her tiny teeth into its heel, unaware of the fact that she’d just used bad language in front of her alphess. As the bear turned to swipe at her she darted under its body and came out on its right side, where her right hind leg wouldn’t be vulnerable if it decided to attack. She must have looked very silly – a runty wolf not much older than a pup trying to scare off a fully grown bear. But the bear was wary now. Blood dripped from wounds on its ear and leg, and it didn’t know whether more wolves were going to arrive. Finally the bear seemed to decide that it wasn’t worth it, so it turned and slowly ambled off into the trees.
“It might try to come back, so keep your senses alert” Vixen turned to Sapphire and gently pressed the white she wolf’s side with a paw, testing to see if the bones were broken. The other wolf seemed badly injured too, but she didn’t think his wounds needed immediate attention.
It was rare for such a beast to cross into the territory of wolves. Perhaps it was the weakness of the wolf scents, how faint the borders had become that ensured the bear it’s free passage here. After, who would call an Alphess and a new-joined hunter a pack? Her eyes adjusted to the quickly growing light of the early morning, she was waiting for death to take her in its arms. She was waiting for this beast to finish off an injured creature. It was the law of nature after all, selective breeding and all that. The wolf that put strength as her highest aspect would die weak, having barely issued a fight to an attack upon her unguarded back.
Her thoughts moved back to Evian despite her vigilance that she would think of them no more. She thought back to home to those that had raised and loved her. She thought, with a heavy heart of Jay and with his thought she called forth an image of him in her mind. Closing her eyes to this, she waited for the blow that would finish her off. Why she offered no fight she could not fathom. The relentless fae just didn’t know what she fought for any more; fading friends and a dying pack?
She was waiting, and waiting still – it was only the sound of the anger from her assailant that brought Sapphire’s head up, so lost in the thoughts she wanted to hold dear she had missed the commotion of her rescuer as he fought against the danger to his Alpha. Her raised head saw him limp towards her, nose to nose as he whispered his words to here, with every breath he breathed life back into her purposeless body. He was saying he would stay with her until the end that was what it must feel like to be a leader. She rose, flinching at the pain that flared like fire across her side, the bruises and the breaks making themselves known. “We fight, and we tell this bear that this land is our own” The bear was over its fit of rage that had stilled for all but a moment.
Another came to the rescue of the Alphess, and like trouble drawing them together two loyal members where at her side in this battle for their lives. Her pride, and all that made her believe she was invincible by her desire to live came swamping back to her with a vengeance. Renewed despite her injuries she let her mind get to work on tactic, and the best way to kill or drive this bear from their home.
Her thoughts where not needed, the agile little wolf that darted to and fro seemed to enlighten the bear that there was more here then met the eye. A number of wolves that appeared to be growing, fighting in union – that hinted of a pack, and that was more than a bear wanted to deal with. It turned and ambled away, quickly vanishing from sight. A sigh of relief brought forth shaky legs that no longer had a thing to prove. Her breath was quick and saw within her chest, she had no doubt that the blow had broken some ribs, and would leave some nasty bruises. “Thank you, both of you, I owe you my life” A humble response for one normally so filled with pride, but she had given up hope, for the first time in her life she had begun to think there wasn’t much left to fight for. She had been proved wrong and was humbled by it, her expression filled with only warmth for these two wolves as she allowed herself to sink to the ground with relief, taking the strain off her ailment.
After wandering alone for some time, Jay found it in his best interest to find his way back to the pack. Alearia, her talons dug as gently as possible into his now hardened shoulder blade, hooted in soft agreement to the brute's unstated intentions. The two had grown increasingly dependent on one another in the past year, and the grey brute would not trade his relationship with the owl for the world. She was a part of him, just as much as he was a part of the Isata pack. There was a sense of family between the two that was unparalleled, even in the relationships the brute witnessed when Aldgar was still around.
But things had changed, and the now older Jay was moving on to bigger and better things. He was making a life for himself beyond the confines of the Oriens, where he had dwelled long after the demise of his beloved pack. The brute wandered towards the most recent scent trails of his beloved alphess, oblivious to the turmoil he had so narrowly avoided prior to his approach. Upon his arrival, the brute spotted the once small Vixen, a smile and a nod directed toward her, and an unfamiliar wolf that apparently had gained Sapphire's approval. There was a tense atmosphere about them, but the brute simply could not identify the source of it. Alearia ruffled her feathers, settling down comfortably on the brute's back as a content hoot slip through her beak. He smiled softly, an adoring gaze falling on the owl before a similarly pleasant stare settled on Sapphire.
His friend was growing into the role of alpha seamlessly. Any worries she might have expressed to him before were steadily fading, and Jay was even more firm in his believe that this was the right decision for them. The turn around in not only his life, but their lives together, was remarkable. The friendless brute, wandering the loner lands in hope of finding something more, had stumbled upon a lovely femme who was content to remain with him forever. Perhaps it was not the relationship he would desire between them, but the grey wolf's undying loyalty would lead him to death before he would do anything to defy his alphess.
"Sapphire," the brute greeted his friend softly as he affectionately nuzzled her neck. Jay grinned goofily before turning to officially greet the others. "Brute, I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting just yet. I am Jay, the beta of Isata. And you are?" His words were friendly and inviting; he had no reason to be suspicious of anyone Sapphire welcomed into her presence. Perhaps his dependence on her judgment would one day be his downfall. With such high expectations of another, there would sooner or later be an event to prove him wrong.
The bear was being attacked by a fox-like wolf who didn't look entirely grown yet but, was still not a puppy. The younger wolf came over to Sapphire as well to check on her. Dihren was ready to kick this beast out of his new home. Not necessarily for for the other wolves around but, it was an upside. He mainly did things for himself until he get attached to individuals.
When Sapphire spoke and told the pup and he that they would fight for their home from the bear. Dihren was ready for this but his lack of fighting experience had him worried for his life but, he woul never show this. No. Not in front of new wolves. The bear seamed weary from it's wounds already so, luckily for Ren, there wasn't much fighting to do.
Another male came into their presence but, he was a tad late. The bear had already retreated but, at least he was friendly. The newest wolf greeting their alphena warmly. Dihren had assumed that the two had known each other long. The male then turned to him and welcomed him with a warm welcome and asked for his name. Hello Jay. He bowed his head quickly to show his respect for the beta of Isata. Dihren understood his rank in the pack and he respected other above him even though, he would like to be ranked a bit higher than what a pup would be but, all of that would come with time. If Sapphire was indeed impressed with his hunting that perhaps he would be made a hunter or maybe even a lead hunter. He pushed those thoughts out of his head and returned to the wolf with the owl on his back. My name is Ren, I have been recently added to your family here in Isata. Ren tried to match Jay's friendly and welcoming tone even though he was feeling next to nothing on the inside just like it had been when he first met Sapphire. It was nothing against Jay or Sapphire, it was just the way he was. Ren had a feeling that he would become attached to the wolves around him with time and then he would be able to feel emotions for them but for now, he would have to fake his excitement and other strong emotions for a while. Ren had gotten very good at doing this so, he didn't think it would be a problem but, one never did know who they were around or what they were capable of reading.
“Broken” the little she wolf muttered to herself. Vixen stood up and bounded over to the little pile of herbs she’d brought.
There wasn’t really anything that she could do about broken ribs; at least, there was nothing she’d been taught. Normally, if it was a broken leg, she would splint it with bamboo but she didn’t know how that would be possible with ribs and she didn’t even have any bamboo anyway. The most she could do was dull the pain. Perhaps if ‘Kitla didn’t come back they could try to find a shaman from another pack who knew how to mend the bones. Vixen sighed lightly. Oh well, they were lucky to get away with no other wounds.
Carefully, she picked the delicate white poppy out of the pile and cut a little bit of the stem away from the rest of the plant. She wasn’t sure exactly how big the dose was supposed to be but ‘Kitla had mentioned that it was a very powerful painkiller and it was better to be safe than sorry. Anyway, she could always give Sapphire more if she didn’t feel the effects.
Vixen then realised that it would probably have been smarter if she’d carried the plant over to Sapphire before she cut it, because now if she tried to carry it she’d get the juices in her mouth. So how was she going to get the plant to Sapphire? She couldn’t ask the alphess to come over to the plant because that would damage the wound. And even though the simple answer would be to carry what was left of the stem over and repeat the cutting process, Vixen did not want to do that. It would mean admitting that what she’d done the first time was wrong, and it would also waste that piece she’d cut off.
The small fox-like wolf sat there for a moment, fiddling unnecessarily with her pile of herbs, before she noticed a leaf that must have fallen from the tree above. With a triumphant glimmer in her silver eyes, she picked it up and used it to scoop up the little bit of stem and carry it over to Sapphire.
“Here” she said as she set the leaf down in front of her alphess. “This is a white poppy stem. It will dull the pain of your ribs. If you need more, please just ask me – I have plenty” This was not quite true, but she didn’t want Sapphire sacrificing her needs to save the supply. “You too” she added to the other wolf.
As she turned back to Sapphire, a troubled expression crossed the young wolf’s face. “I should advise you, though, to seek out someone who is experienced in the art of mending broken bones” Although it pained her to admit that she didn’t know much about what she was doing, she knew that if the wound didn’t heal properly there might be serious consequences for the alphess.
Vixen moved away back to her herbs when she saw Jay enter the scene. Sure enough, the beta moved almost strightaway to the alphess’s side and nuzzled her affectionately. The other wolf gave his name as Ren when asked, and Vixen was glad to hear his polite and friendly tones. She still felt detached from him though, but that was probably just because he’d take some time getting used to.
Like a scene in a story told by wondering wolves, things froze as yet another wolf came at a light walk into their midst. Seemingly oblivious to the dangerous that had barely just passed he showed affection and a light nature to the wolves around him. Nudging the shoulder of the alphess, air whistled past her clenched teeth as she held in the grunt of pain she might otherwise have emitted at even this small touch that caused her movement. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t glad for the small movement. Her dearest friend was here now, and with a relieved smile she knew everything would be alright. This was, really, her whole pack before her now. They had not left her and showed no signs of wanting to leave her pack – all it took was a little trouble to push them all together again.
When the littlest wolf amongst them, their little Vixen muttered the word broken she held no surprise – hadn’t that been her own assumption? The little wolf began to do things with her herbs, and Sapphire’s attention slipped from her back to her old friend. The owl that (admittedly) she had gotten off to a bad start with was present upon his back. A fondness for this bird creature showed in her smile as she nodded her head in greeting. “Jay... Alearia. I hope you are both well?” She murmured, such vague words for the emotions she really felt. She wanted to bury her head into the warm fur of her friend, for him to promise to her that he would not leave her again... She shook her head, mentally and physically at the absurd image she had conquered in her mind, he was her best friend, and there was something almost intimate to the idea. She mentally distanced herself for the thought. It was not the time or place.
Vixen had taken to her side, so lost in her thoughts she jumped slightly at the sudden presence of the other. She sighed, but in jest, at the herbs the other wished her to eat. She did not protest however, one learnt early on to never argue with one who knew their ways around plants. She lowered her head and felt the juices of the plant across her tongue as they made their way to her throat. She was never one for the taste of herbs...
“There is no other, but you” She admitted to Vixen, and it was true – she knew of no other wolves to aid her then the young wolf before her. Maybe she would need to make a painful journey to a pack, she had heard of one not too far away by the name of Airila, maybe she could try there...
Ren watched as the little fox like wolf worked on Sapphire. He had heard the word broken and was not surprised by it. The blow that she had taken wasn't a small one. She scurried around, picking up different herbs, of which he had never even heard of let alone knew what they did. Very intelligent little pup that one is. It was not often that Dihren saw a little wolf that was so intelligent and so focused as this one was.
The little fox like pup also offered her services to him but, he was confident that he had only suffered a few bruises. But, he still acknowledged the little one with a head nod showing that he understood that if he should need something for pain that he would ask her. Though, he hadn't yet met a pain that he couldn't handle.
He casually listened to Sapphire and Jay speak to one other. Must be good friends..or maybe they are mates..but if they were Jay would have introduced himself as "alpha." Ren decided to stay out of their personal business and concentrate on what was happening to the pack in general and what they were going to do next. Their alphena was injured and probably wouldn't be walking too far to get help from a broken bones specialist. Were they to fetch this shaman? Was Sapphire going to walk herself? If she was would they go with her or would they stay here and defend the land? Ren had many questions swirling in his mind but, instead of being pushy, he decided to wait for his next instructions. Sapphire was injured and he intended to give her time to decide what they were to do next. An injured leader is a serious problem that needed to be dealt with.
Ren didn't mind so much that he had some minor bruises here and there because he believed that it was his duty to do what he did. If he had not shown up, what would have become of his alphena? She probably would have died. That would be devistating for Ren. Not really emotionally devastating because he barely knew her but, the pack would need to start over literally almost to the beginning. It would have been bad news if something were to have happened to her.
Confusion settled over the brute as activity whirled around him. Jay felt so disconnected from the pack right now. His tail tucked between his legs slightly and a short whine spilled from his muzzle. That didn't last long, however, as a sharp rap to the back of his head snapped him back into the present. Alearia may have been a pain, but she was his pain and helped to keep him sane.
The strange brute introduced himself as Ren, and Jay smiled politely in greeting. "Glad to meet you, Ren. Anyone who is a friend of Sapphire's is a friend of mine." Those words were spoken will full honesty. He had such an unconditional trust for the femme that she probably could have banished him and he would have left without a fight. It was a bit obsessive the degree to which he would follow her. But that was all in his personality, and Jay was by far more loyal to this pack than he had ever been to Aldgar. Sure, that had been his first family, but nothing turned out right there. They had not faced any conflict here, and even in his absence while speaking with Kadhi, nothing had blown up in his face. Sapphire seemed just as happy to see him as before, and that alone brought comfort to the brute.
It was only when little Vixen started to speak with Sapphire that the brute realized his alphess was injured. Such dejection had never been seen on the likes of Jay's face - how had he missed something so glaringly obvious that should have screamed for attention upon his arrival? He should have been here; he failed to protect his alphess from the world around him. He had failed her once again, and the brute's mood sunk rapidly.
"Stop thinking," Alearia snapped in his ear, once again pecking the back of his head. A surprised snarl ripped through Jay's throat, startled by the sudden trauma to the back of his head. It should have gotten on his nerves, but in his heart Jay knew that Alearia was right. Beating himself up over whatever had happened would not make anything better. "We should get you back to the dens," he murmured, closing the gap between himself and the alphess rapidly as he nuzzled her affectionately. He could not keep himself from feeling guilt that whatever happened could have been prevented had he been around, but he would do everything in his power to right the situation before it got worse.
"I'm sorry for my absence, Sapphire," he admitted, shamefaced. Although the conversation with Kadhi had been a necessary one, he could not help but feel that he had abandoned his pack when they needed him. This was precisely when the brute was not cut out to be an alpha, yet his heart kept screaming at him to give all his love to the stunning alphess before him. He would never jeopardize their friendship, however, and so it would be left alone until the day the grey brute wold eventually die.
((OOC: I'm sorry. I'm terrible. I'm trying to get caught up everywhere now!))
Sapphire had never led a pack before, but looking at the faces of the strong, good natured wolves before her she knew that there was no other path she would have rather taken. She had a reliable, strong and amazing Beta, she had a wolf that clearly needed to be risen in rank to lead-warrior, and a healer with a shining heart. She turned her attention to Ren now, nodding her head the wolf who had jumped into battle for her, and even then still looked at her to lead the battle – even as he was the rescuer. “Ren – what would you say to a lead-warrior position?” She asked the wolf gently, her breath soft and light in her ears. She could almost forget the pain of this new injury, with the happiness that she felt inside her. Her pack had not abandoned her! Not like she had thought they had, they had each just taken their time to get to know the territory. They were still here and ready to come to her if she needed it. Nothing could have proven that more than this event.
She had no idea to the thoughts going on the head of her dearest friend, in fact she still did not realise his true devotion to her, or the lack of self-confidence he seemed to have. In fact, she did not yet realise the lengths she herself would go to for this wolf. She did not know what he meant to her yet – no, she would need something terrible to happen to show her the blindingly obvious. Jay nuzzled her with affection, and Sapphire licked the forehead of her beta in response. She didn’t even notice the way her body had moved to be beside him, the way she looked perfect by his side. No, all these obvious little points were the kind of thing the Alphess would not know how to pick up. After all, she had long ago sworn to never fall in love, and nor had she – till she met Jay.
“I agree, let’s go to the dens. I give everyone the rest of the day off” She joked lightly, nudging jay once with her head before turning in the direction of the dens and starting her slow pace. She did not want the others to really see that she was injured – not only was she too proud, but she was alphess now. No, they had to see that she was still strong.
Ooc: I can’t quite remember what we were going to do there – You had agreed to a lead position right? And I’m really sorry all for vanishing on you. I hope to be active now
The grey wolf's words were kind and it was obvious that this pack was very close and he was glad to be a part of it. He smiled at the grey wolf who obviously had trust in Sapphire for accepting him so quickly with barely knowing him.
It had been suggested to get back to the dens and Ren couldn't disagree. The best place for an injured wolf is in the safety and comfort of the pack dens. There is less stress there and much easier to tend to injuries.
His attention shot to the alphess as she addressed him. Was..she offering him a lead warrior position? There wasn't much he could say back to her. He always thought of himself as more of a hunter but, with this unfortunate incident he proved himself wrong and apparently it was obvious to Sapphire. Her voice was soft and gentle and sweet. How could he refuse? I would be honored. His voice was friendly with a touch of excitement. On the inside he was feeling a touch of happiness and it was the first thing that he had felt in a long time. Maybe it was finally being accepted into a family or being given a position so quickly. He had expected to stay a subordinate for a least a month but, that was fortunately not the case.
Sapphire agreed thankfully to go back to the dens and had given everyone the day off. He wasn't sure whether to go with her or to stay here. He didn't want to seem condescending over his alphess but, he didn't want to seem uncaring either. He would stay around here and check on her later. That seemed like the appropriate thing to do. Unless everyone was going to the dens with her then he would follow because it would be awkward not to.
His injuries weren't bad at all. Just a few bruises and scrapes that would heal themselves in a matter of days.
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